The AAJ Fall Conference in San Diego was a great success! It was great to ‘talk-shop’ with so many engaging thought leaders in the field. These are important conversations we are having because it is so critical to not work in vacuums and silos. In the spirit of keeping the communication going: It’s time for our last journal of 2019!
First, we will focus on our latest Seasoned Professional, Ms. Laura Maiello Reidy. She is a bit of a “Justice Hero” for me. I always find her presentations at the AAJ so human focused and in-line with the work I want to do. In fact, when she describes her intentions “pay it forward” by influencing how design professionals view their work—she should know she absolutely has. I also remember when The Union County Juvenile Detention Center won the World Architecture Award. In a field where bad design is often referred to as “jail-like”—it was a win for the field of Justice Architecture to be seen on the world stage making a difference. I am looking forward to sharing her interview with you.
Stephanie Fleming was one of our three EP Scholars at 2019 AAJ Fall Conference. Stephanie’s report starts with very introspective insights on Border Crossings as non only places of passage, but places of Justice. More specifically, Stephanie draws the conclusion that Border Crossings like many other justice spaces, are places of anxiety and stress that can be eased by thoughtful design. Stephanie reporting also describes her visit to the Las Colinas Women’s facility and the session entitled ‘Envisioning and Implementing NYC’s Transition to a Smaller, Safer, Fairer Borough-Based Jail System’
Nicolas Caceres is our second EP Scholar and he reports on the evolution of mental health facilities turning away from a punitive model often unfortunately administer by our Prison and jail systems to a healthier model that includes design for human wellness or community-based initiatives.
Emilia Cabeza de Baca is the last of our EP Scholars. She gives an overview of the conference as an experience and touches on key moments such as our keynote speakers and sample sessions.
Sadly, Erin Persky will be wrapping up her tenure on the Leadership Group. Here we have our exit interview, with her. She was kind enough to share an honest perspective on the efforts, rewards and challenges of working with this incredible group of people. Erin is an asset to every group she joins. She is a smart visionary with great energy and optimism. I know she will be missed.
I would like to give many thanks to the hard-working Communications Committee for a great year. Happy Holidays to all our readers! We are looking forward to the New Year!
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Kindest,
Kerry Feeney
Chair – AAJ Communications Committee 2019
kfeeney@numberten.com